Plant hostas in partial shade.

The most typical place for hostas is partial shade. Some of them can resist full shade, but they make open clumps, do not flower and they are generally darker in color. Some of them can resist again sun. Even some of them need a bit sun to show the best colors. Grow hostas in the appropriate place to get healthy and colorful plants.

The most dangerous is the afternoon sun, especially at a time between 11:00 AM and 16:00 PM. Leaves can be burned. Genrally color of hostas is lighter on sun palce. Blue color can turn to green and yellow color turn to white. 

If you are forced to grow hostas in partial or even full sunny palce, keep them in moist soil and leeward place, because of dry soil and wind may worsen effect of the sun.

It is absolutely clear, that the same cultivar growing in full sun, will looks differently in southern Italy and in Austrian Central Alps. The altitude and growing zone is also very important. In colder climate of northern areas and sites in higher altitudes, where the sun is not so intense, hostas can tolerate more sun for a longer time. By contrast in the southern areas and lower elevations you should be very carefully, as also a short-term exposure of hostas to an afternoon sun can damage them.

Hostas need for problem free growing certain period of dormancy. They usually need minimal 30 days with the temperature below 6°C. If citrus fruits can grow in your area, hostas will not grow very well. If your area is situated in zone 10, consider to plant other perennials in your garden – daylilies for example. Ideal conditions for growing of hostas offer zones 8, 7 and 6. These zones cover most of Europe. Be careful in zone 4 and during winter protect them against frost. The growing season is too short to allow them reach the size, they reach in optimal conditions.

Hosta Orange Marmalade. In the left, Orange Marmalade in spring. The same cultivar at the end of the season. The Sun changed the arange color and this  turns into the creamy white.

Most yellow cultivars of can resist the sun and some even need it to be pretty colored.

There is no one cultivar fully resistant completelly to sun. Some species can withstand the sun for longer time than others, particularly those with lighter leaves. Here are a few of such a cultivars. Please, consider this recommendation as informative only, as every site is different and every habitat is unique. Therefore, one final advice at the end: select other perennials for full sun site. Choose for example daylilies, which can tolerate full sun without problem. We offer a range of beautiful cultivars.

Albopicta, Allan P. McConnell
Antioch, August Moon
Avocado, Birchwood Parky's Gold
Blue Angel, Blue Arow
Blue Mamoth, Carnival
Cathedral Windows, Catherine
City Lights, Clifford's Forest Fire
Delta Down, Diana Remembered
Dream Queen, Dream Weaver
Eye Catcher, Fire and Ice
Fire Island, Fortunei Aurea
Fortunei Auremarginata, Fragrant Bouquet
Fried Bananas, Fried Green Tomatoes
Fringe Benefit, Frosted Dimples
Gaiety, Gold Edger
Gold Standard, Golden Medallion
Golden Regal, Golden Tiara
Grand Tiara, Great Expectations
Green Gold, Hadspen Blue
Hanky Panky, Hearth of Soul
High Society, Hollywoods Lights
Hyacithina, Cherry Berry
Choo Choo Train, Christmas Candy
Inniswood, Invicible
Ivory Coast, June
June Fever, Jurassic Park
Kabitan, Katherine Lewis
King Tut, Knockout
Krossa Regal, Lady Isobel Barnett
Lancifolia, Lemon Lime
Leola Fraim, Liberty
Maekawa, Majesty
Maple Leaf, Mata Hari
Montana Aureomarginata, Moon Split
Moonlight, Morning Light
Mount Tom, Night Before Christmas
Old Glory, Olive Bailey Landgon
Olympic Sunrise, Paradice Power
Paradigm, Paradise Joyce
Patriot, Paul´s Glory
Pearl Lake, Piedmont Gold
Platinum Tiara, Potomac Pride
Queen Josephine, Radiant Edger

The same cultivar grown in full shade (bottom) in full sun (center) and semi-shade (top) conditions. This documents that some hostas need some sun to show the best colors.

Rainforest Sunrise, Red October

Regal Splendor, Revolution
Royal Flush, Royal Standard
Sagae, Satisfaction, Second Wind
September Sun, Shade Fanfare
Sieboldiana Elegans, So Sweet
Spacious Skies, Stained Glass
Sum and Substance, Sum of All
Summer Breeze, Summer Lovin
Summer Music, T. Rex
Tokudama Flavocircinalis, Touch of Class
Twilight, Undulata Albomarginata
Ventricosa Aurea, Weihenstephan 
Whirlwind, White Christmas
Wide Brim, Winter Snow
Striped Weasel, Yellow Polka Dot Bikiny
Yellow River, Zounds

The hosta color and shape are sun depending.

Hosta Dragon Tails. In the left - growing in the shade, in the right - growin in the sun. In the shade is this yellow hosta almost green and even has a few significant wavy edges. This shows that some guests need a bit of sun to reach a right color.  

Some next examples: